Patients who have suffered neurological and/or orthopedic disorders usually experience an impairment in limb function. Occupational therapy under the guidance of a trained therapist who uses proprioceptive neurofacililation (PNF) techniques or the like can increase the functional strength, range of motion and endurance of the patent. Repetitive patterns of exercise are necessary to achieve such an increase.
However, experience shows that patients are often unlikely to carry out the necessary exercise patterns for as long and as often as is necessary to achieve the desired improvements. Also, for reasons of cost availability and convenience, a given patient may need to carry out such a pattern of exercises without the benefit of a trained therapist being present.
A simple, durable, low maintenance apparatus is needed which can be used by a patient in a safe and reliable manner with a minimum of preliminary instructional training and experience. Also, the apparatus should be usable for therapy in treating a wide variety of neuromuscular disorders. Suitable prior art devices are not now known. The present invention, however, provides such an apparatus and includes methods for its use.